How Does an ASR Recycling Line Work?

What is an ASR Recycling Line ?

A typical ASR recycling line can combine several stages:

Pre-Crushing & Liberation → Trommel Screening → Magnetic Separation → Air Classification → Eddy Current Separation → Gravity Separation

The exact configuration depends on the actual ASR feed and the recovery targets.

1. Pre-Crushing for Material Liberation

The first objective is not simply to reduce particle size.

A suitable crusher can help break apart larger material and expose metals that remain trapped inside plastics, rubber or other components.

For ASR with a high proportion of bulky or poorly liberated material, this stage can be particularly important.

2. Trommel Screen for Size Classification

After size reduction, a trommel screen can divide the material into different size fractions.

This helps downstream equipment process more uniform material.

For example, coarse and fine ASR fractions may require different separation conditions. A multi-stage trommel can therefore play an important role in preparing the material for subsequent recovery.

3. Magnetic Separator for Ferrous Metal Recovery

The magnetic separation stage targets ferrous metals such as iron and steel.

Removing ferrous metals early in the process provides a recoverable ferrous fraction while reducing interference with downstream non-ferrous separation.

Depending on the material and plant configuration, different magnetic separation solutions can be considered.

4. Air Separation for Lightweight Materials

Air classification can be added when the ASR contains a significant amount of lightweight fibers, plastics or other low-density materials.

The purpose is to separate lightweight material from heavier fractions and improve the conditions for subsequent metal recovery.

Air separation is not necessarily required in every ASR plant. Its value depends on the feed composition and the desired final products.

5. Eddy Current Separator for Non-Ferrous Metals

After ferrous removal and appropriate material preparation, an Eddy Current Separator can recover conductive non-ferrous metals.

Typical target materials may include:

· Aluminum

· Copper

· Zinc

· Other conductive non-ferrous metals

For auto shredder residue metal recovery, ECS is particularly valuable when non-ferrous metals are mixed with plastics, rubber and other non-metallic materials.

However, its performance still depends heavily on particle size, liberation and feed conditions.

6. Gravity Separation for Fine Heavy Metals

Fine metal particles that remain in the heavy fraction may require an additional separation stage.

A jig machine or other gravity separation equipment can use differences in material density to concentrate suitable heavy particles.

This stage is optional rather than universal. It should be considered when material testing shows that valuable heavy metals remain in the fine or heavy fraction after the primary separation stages.

Why Is ASR Difficult to Recycle?

Recovering metals from ASR is more complicated than simply separating metal from non-metal.

Complex and Variable Material Composition

ASR contains a mixture of materials with different sizes, shapes, densities and physical properties. The proportion of metal can also vary between different feedstocks.

Fine Metals Can Remain in the Residue

Small metal fragments may become mixed with plastics, rubber, glass and mineral particles. If the separation process is not designed for different particle sizes, valuable metals can remain in the residual fraction.

Long and Tangled Materials

Wires, fibers, textiles and flexible plastics can become tangled around other materials or equipment components, making continuous processing more difficult.

Abrasive Materials

Glass and mineral particles can cause wear on screens, conveyors and other processing components. Equipment selection therefore needs to consider long-term operating conditions, not only initial processing capacity.

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